b. 1977 Landstuhl, Germany
IG: @Kenya9 / @KenyaRobinsonLLC | TikTok: @K3NYAR0BINS0N | YouTube: kenyanaila
EDUCATION
Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture | Madison (ME)
Yale University | New Haven (CT) | MFA - Sculpture
Los Angeles Trade Technical College | Los Angeles (CA) Apparel Design and Production
RESIDENCIES / FELLOWSHIPS
2019 - 2020
Santa Fe College Exhibiting Artists’ Residency, US
2018
Kohler Arts and Industry Residency, US
2017
Thomas Hunter Artist Residency, US
2016
apexart Travel Fellowship, Uruguay
Thomas Hunter Artist Residency, US
2015
Thomas Hunter Artist Residency, US
Triangle Residency 2015 - Dumbo, Brooklyn
2014
Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, US
2011 - 2013
ANALOG: Recess Activities, Inc., Online Residency, US
2009 - 2010
Triangle Workshop 2010 - Dumbo, Brooklyn
LMCC Workspace Residency, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, US
STIPENDS + GRANTS + PRIZES
2020
Alachua County Arts Council Grant
2018
Florida Prize in Contemporary Art
2016
Creative Capital Grant – Emerging Fields
2015
Rema Hort Mann Grant for Emerging Artists
2013
National Endowment for the Arts - TOONSKIN
2011
Residency Stipend, ANALOG, US
2008
Brooklyn Arts Council ReGrant, Department of Cultural Affairs, US
AWARDS
2018
NURTUREart ‘Outstanding Artist Award’
2015
Creative Capital ‘On Our Radar’ (March – September 2015)
2011
Smack Mellon ‘Hot Picks’ Artist
CURATORIAL PROJECTS
2013
ArtSPACE, New Haven (CT), ‘TOONSKIN’
2012
RECESS Activities, Inc., New York (NY), ‘Sonic Diagrams’
2010
Brennan Gallery, Jersey City (NJ), ‘Vessel’
2009
Brennan Gallery, Jersey City (NJ), ‘AfricanAmericana’
SELECT EXHIBITIONS
2021
Flaten Art Museum - St. Olaf College (MN), ‘Liberatory Adornment’, Curated by Dr. Jillian Hernandex, Ph.d
Canada Gallery (NYC), ‘Black Femme: Sovereign of WAP and the Virtual Realm’, Curated by Christiana Ine-Kimba Boyle
2020
Museum of Contemporary Art Denver (CO), ‘Citizenship: A Practice of Society’
Santa Fe College (FL) ‘THE PRICE I$ RIGHT’ (solo)
2018
Orlando Museum of Art (FL) ‘Orlando Museum of Art Florida Prize in Contemporary Art Exhibition’
Bortolami Gallery, New York (NY), ‘TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY OCCUPATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS AND CONSIDERATIONS EPISODE 1: Contemporary Materials’ presented by Gallery Kendra Jayne Patrick
2017
HOWL! Happening: An Arturo Vega Project, New York (NY) ‘Interiority Complex XVII’, curated by Laurie Berg, Monstah Black, and Amy Khoshbin
2016
Cindy Rucker Gallery, New York (NY) ‘FUCKYOURCOUCH’ (solo)
Morlan Gallery at Transylvania University, Lexington (KY) ‘INTER/ACTIVE’, Curated by Andrea Fisher
2015
Cindy Rucker Gallery, New York (NY)
2014
RUSH Arts Gallery, New York (NY)
'GIRL BYE!', Curated by Rashaad Newsome
Cindy Rucker Gallery, New York (NY)
'we seemed to be unanimously elected...'
Curated by Cindy Rucker
2013
Present Company Gallery, Brooklyn (NY)
‘Antithesis’, Curated by Omar Lopez – Chahoud
Brooklyn Academy of Music, Brooklyn (NY)
‘March On!’, Curated by Dexter Wimberly
2012
New York Photography Festival, Brooklyn (NY)
‘What Do You Believe In?’ Curated by
Amy Smith-Stewart
C24 Gallery New York (NY), ‘CAMPAIGN’, Curated by Amy Smith-Stewart
2011
The Skylight Gallery Restoration Plaza, Brooklyn (NY) ‘Crown Heights Gold’, Curated by Dexter Wimberly
Branch #47, Brooklyn Public Library, Brooklyn (NY)
‘All Over The Place’ (solo)
The Kitchen, New York (NY), ‘Shame The Devil’
Curated by Petrushka Bazin Larsen
2010
The House of Bumble, New York (NY) ‘University Model Project Emerging Artist Showcase’ Curated by Forever
& Today
Corridor Gallery, Brooklyn (NY), ‘Brooklyn Based’
Curated by Ali Evans
60 Wall Street Gallery Deutsche Bank, New York (NY)
‘There is No Looking Glass Here’, Curated by Kimberli Gant
Hendershot Gallery, New York (NY), ‘Digression’
Curated by Jessica Elena Shaefer
Museum of Contemporary African Diasoporan Arts, Brooklyn (NY), ‘Ain’t I A Woman?’, Curated by Kimberli Gant
Jersey City Museum, Jersey City (NJ), ‘Hair Tactics’
Curated by Rocío Aranda Alvarado
Aljira, Newark (NJ), ‘Dreamtime overtones from a fantastic brown planet’, Curated by Edwin Ramoran Thomas Center Galleries, Gainesville (FL) ‘HAIRPOLITIC: Pomade In America’ (solo)
PERFORMANCES + SPECIAL PROJECTS + COMMISSIONS
2022
The Black Lunch Table + UF College of the Arts - Diversity, Equity and Access Commitee, Gainesville (FL), “BLT Photo Booth by BLIXEL”, Harn Museum of Art
Department and the Center for Women's and Gender Studies Research, Gainesville (FL), “BOOKCLUBBING”, curated by Dr. Jillian Hernandez, Ph.d
The AjA Project, San Diego (CA), “IDENTITY+ CURRENCY + STRATEGY: a Dynamic Curriculum for Teaching Artists”, organized by Dinah Poellnitz for the COUNTER SURVEILLENCE Program funded by the California Arts Council
IGTV-@Kenya9, #WooWoo Words and the #EtymologicalTarot (ongoing)
2021
The Poetry Project (NYC), ROT TALK 1: RUST + PLASTICS, ‘WooWoo Word and The Etymological Tarot’, curated by Alexandra Tatarsky
IGTV-@Kenya9, #WooWoo Words and the #EtymologicalTarot (ongoing)
2020
Pioneer Works/Broadcast, Brooklyn (NY), ‘TOONSKIN: PU$$Y POPPING IN THE COSMOS’
2019
Bo Diddley Plaza, Gainesville (FL), ‘The Electric Slide + Other Sacred Geometries’, Interactive performance in collaboration with Prof. Trent D. Williams Jr, LaJuné McMillian, UF Center for Arts in Medicine, The City of Gainesville, and 352 Arts
2018
Global South Center at Pratt Institute (NY), “You In Danger, Girl!”: Friendship as a Revolutionary Act in a Transactional Age”, Interactive Lecture
Deutsche Bank Wealth Management Lounge at Frieze London (UK), ‘Another World’ Charity Postcard Sale, Artists from the Deutsche Bank Collection, Curated by Tracy Emin
HBO - Random Acts of Flyness, (S1:E6) ‘THEY WON'T GO WHEN I GO’
Promotional Campaign for Random Acts of Flyness (HBO) #WHITEMANINMYPOCKET / White Divestment Institute
Providence Public Library, Providence (RI), “Like a Girl Being Pretty, No. 031418”, a Tactile Lecture for HairBrained
2017
Pioneer Works, Brooklyn (NY), ‘CENOTAPHIC’
The Royal Peacock, Atlanta (GA), ‘Inside/Out: The Money Machine’ w/ activist Avery Jackson, Presented by Creative Capital
Gibney Dance Space, New York (NY), ‘Paper Rain’ for INVOCATION PROCLAMATION MANIFESTO, Curated by Ben Pryor
Friends of the High Line, New York (NY), ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE/KARAOKE UNIVERSAL: LISTEN WITHOUT PREJUDICE VOL. 01011863’ for the Out of Line Performance Series
New York Arts Practicum, New York (NY), Mentor
NurtureART, Brooklyn (NY), ‘Only The Finest of Fifis’ conversation with Illya Szilak, M.D.
Creative Capital Offices, New York (NY), ‘ST4NKLOV3 Live! TrapBack Season’ for Clocktower Productions
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (NY), presentation for “Viral Images: Exploring the Historic and Conservation Challenges of Objects Created for Social Protest and Solidarity” - sponsored by the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works
Pioneer Books, Brooklyn (NY),’ST4NKLOV3 Live! ‘Two in the Pink, One in the Stink’ for Clocktower Productions
2016
Sid Gold’s Request Room, New York (NY), ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE + THAT-THONG-SONG-SING-ALONG
New York Arts Practicum, New York (NY), Mentor
The University of Texas at Austin (TX), ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE Sings BLACK SABBATH’ – for Sampling, Curated by the INGZ Collective
The WINTER SHACK, Brooklyn (NY), ‘The Cashmere Bouquet Reads: Waiting Is Not Easy’, Curated by
Nicole Antebi and Alex Branch
Clocktower Productions, Red Hook (NY), ‘#trashDAY, Confessions of the ArtWorld™’ Radio Streamcast
2015
Thomas Hunter Project Space, New York (NY), ‘kenya eats a (big) cracker’, Curated by Aisha Bell
Artspace, New Haven (CT), ‘Arresting Patterns Conference: Perspective on Race, Criminal Justice, Artistic Expression and Community - DAVE meet MARK, No.091215’
New York Arts Practicum, New York (NY), Mentor
Clocktower Productions, Red Hook (NY), #trashDAY, Second Sundays Radio Streamcast
Triangle Arts Open Studios, DUMBO, (NY), ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE: True or Falsetto’
The University of the Virgin Islands, St. Thomas(USVI) #trashDAY, Live radio broadcast
2014
The Bemis Center, Omaha (NE) '#WHITEMANINMYPOCKET(S)'
The Bemis Center, Omaha (NE), ‘Six Thousand is A Lot’, A
Pilot Program and Work for Performance in collaboration with the Ready in Five Program
Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, Madison (ME) ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE at The Upper Field'
Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, Madison (ME), ‘twerkTRON 062014 (or Kenya’s 37th Birthday)’
Poets House New York (NY), ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE Presents: KEVINYOUNGMONEY’
Mike Shultis Studio Brooklyn (NY), CHEEKY LaSHAE + The Red Bath Mat
2013
Brown Studio, Brooklyn (NY), ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE + The Cashmere Bouquet’
2012
Instagram @kenya9 (online), #WHITEMANINMYPOCKET
ShapeShifter Lab, Brooklyn (NY), ‘CHEEKY LaSHAE: Sack of Stars’
Museum of Modern Art, New York (NY), ‘A Study for Staircase, No. 111012’ w/ Jerome Marshak
Creative Time, Rockaway Beach (NY), First Annual Artist Sandcastle Competition - ‘Female Prostate’
Maple Street School, Brooklyn (NY), ‘Drawing Without Crayons’, Early childhood curriculum design and teaching
RECESS Activities, Inc., New York (NY), ‘spoken for’
Triangle Arts Gallery, Brooklyn (NY), ‘Like A Girl Being Pretty’
C24 Gallery, New York (NY), ‘MONDAY NIGHT’
2011
AD Projects, New York (NY), BLOW’
The Kitchen, New York (NY) ‘YOURMAMADONTWEARNODRAWS’
New York City (NY), ‘The Inflatable Mattress’
The Kitchen, New York (NY), ‘kenya eats a cracker’
2010
The House of Bumble, New York (NY), ‘Displaced Threshold’ featuring Isis King
60 Wall Street Gallery Deutsche Bank, New York (NY) , ‘cut to fit’
Third Streaming, New York (NY), ‘The Ten Commandments w/ Nicky Enright (aka DJ Lightbolt)
Museum of Modern Art, New York (NY), ‘Sit-In or Slaying the Minotaur’
RECESS Activities, Inc., New York (NY), ‘WHITEMANTALKING’
P.S.1, MoMA, New York (NY), ‘Black Trash: Sacred Melodramas’
Cabinet Space, Brooklyn (NY), ‘(W)RAPPING’ for Rope-a-Dope curated by Sohrab Mohebbi and Gabi Ngcobo
2009
Eyebeam: Art + Technology Center, New York (NY), ‘Universal Access’ w/ Rashaad Newsome
Low Lives: A Series of Live Networked Performances, Brooklyn (NY) Miami (FL) – Houston (TX), ‘Dark Seeds(2)’
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2022 - 2023
Baltimore Museum of Art, “Notes on Thot-Camp and the End of Empire” by Dr. Jillian Hernandez, Ph.D. (Forthcoming)
2021
The New York Times, “What’s in Our Que” by Kathleen Massara
The New Yorker, “Black Femme: Sovereign of WAP and the Virtual Realm” by Andrea K. Scott
Orlando Sentinel, “Artist: Photo Project Issues Reflect Art World's Racism” by Matthew J. Palm
Orlando Sentinel, "Artist Seeks to Include Black Life" by Matthew J. Palm
2020
ARTnews, “Hard Cash: A History of Artists Using Money as a Metaphor—and a Medium in Their Work” by
Andrew Russeth
2018
The Orlando Sentinel, “Kenya (Robinson) wins OMA's Florida Prize” by Matthew J. Palm
2017
The Village Voice (online): “Two Artists Ask Why We Put White Men on Pedestals” by Jillian Steinhauer
The Paris Review (online): “White Man on a Pedestal” by Toniann Fernandez
Creative Capital (The Lab): "Kenya (Robinson) Challenges the Imagination to Remold Privilege" Interview with Hillary Bonhomme and Alex Teplitzky
The New Yorker (online): “The Podcast as Performance Art” by Cassie da Costa
2016
The Creative Independent: “Kenya (Robinson) on Creating Your Own Opportunities”, Interview by Brandon Stosuy
HYPERALLERGIC ArtRx NYC: “That-Thong-Song-Sing-Along” by Jillian Steinhauer
Blouin ArtInfo: “5 Can't-Miss Gallery Shows in New York” by Scott Indrisek
2015
Intercourse Magazine (now Pioneer Works Magazine), Issue #4: “Hood Tales – Fictional Pulp Fiction” (Portfolio)
Huffington Post Arts + Culture: Art Review: “Kenya Eats a (Big) Cracker” by Illya Szilak
HYPERALLERGIC ArtRx NYC: “Last Chance: Pussy Don’t Fail Me Now” by Jillian Steinhauer
Brooklyn Magazine (online): “At Karaoke Universal, CHEEKY LaSHAE Wants YOU to Be a Performance Artist” by Carey Dunne
The Creators Project: “CHEEKY LaSHAE Marries Karaoke, Puppetry, and Performance Art” by Charlie Schmidlin
LAPALME Magazine: “Kenya (Robinson) Mischief Maker”, by Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon
Huffington Post Arts + Culture: “How A 'White Man in My Pocket' Can Help You Understand Privilege” by
Priscilla Frank
2013
BOMBlog: “Kenya (Robinson)” by Lee Ann Norman
2011
16 Miles of String (blog): “Kenya (Robinson) Eats a Cracker in The Kitchen” by Andrew Russeth
The New York Times: “The Serial Sleepover Artist”
by Penelope Green
2010
The L Magazine: “The NADA Emerging Artist”
Essence Magazine (online): “10 Female Artists You Should Know About”
Deutsche Bank ArtMag (online): “There is No Looking Glass Here: The current exhibition at the Wall Gallery of Deutsche Bank”
The International Review of African American Art: “Drawing Outside the Lines” by Samantha Raglan artcritical (online): “LES GALLS” by David Cohen
The L Magazine: “Who Ain’t a Woman” by Kathleen Massara
2008
Gainesville Magazine: “Hair, Art and Culture: Kenya Robinson Transforms the Familiar Into the Thought Provoking” by Amritha Alladi
SELECTED WRITING
2022
PROTODISPATCH for www.protocinema.org, "A Black Aquatic"
Protest Magazine, "Universal Myths Are Lucrative Lies"
2018
The New York Times - Sunday Review, “Monuments for a New Era” (Op-Art)
2017
Artsy.net, “40 Artists Share Their Favorite Shows of 2017” (short review)
HuffingtonPost.com, “Sexual Dealing” (essay)
HILOBROW.com, “Political Objects (12): Burner Phone” (essay)
2016
Blouin Modern Painters Magazine, “The Fate of Excellence” (critical response)
JamaicaFlux: Workspace & Windows 2016 Catalog, “ThePrep Is an Old School Dance: Performing The SAT - a Work for Performance by Ayana Evans” (essay)
2015
Intercourse Magazine (now Pioneer Works Magazine), Issue #4, “Hood Tales – Fictional Pulp Fiction” (essay)
2014
Featured Blogger Huffington Post Arts & Culture - “Practically Magic”, “Romantical”, “Ass, et. al”
2013
Featured Blogger Huffington Post Arts & Culture - “Shorty Wanna Be a Thug”, “Blue for Black”, “Crap: A Philosophy of Shit”
2012
Featured Blogger Huffington Post Arts & Culture - “Black Love: Off the Chain”, “Is That a Rectangle in your Pocket, or Are You Just Happy To See Me?”, “Soul Seasoning”, “The Box Marked Other”, “The Crying Game”, “…Bet Your Last Money”, “The Unbearable Whiteness of Beyoncé”